prevalence of knee injuries among first class football players in Iraq

A cross-sectional study was done to study the prevalence rate [PR] of knee injuries [KI] over the last six months among 319 first class professional Iraqi football players [study group= SG] from 17 first class football clubs. 125 male individuals were studied as a comparison group [CG] from the college of education. The PR of KI among SG was higher [35.1%] than that in CG [7.2%]. 24.6% of the SG had a torn collateral ligament. An association was found between the occurrence of KI among SG and their age group or duration of playing. The level of education of the players and their age groups were associated inversely with the PR in players with recurrente KI. Defenders and forward players were found to have a high PR of KI among the SG [40.7% and 40.3% respectively]. The study recommends to increase the players knowledge about different types of KI and to improve the medical services for each club

Open repair of the medial ligament of the knee joint

This study deals with [30] cases of medial ligament rupture of the knee joint after trauma, [24] cases of them were reported for the final follow-up for [3] years, [22] cases of them were males while [8] cases were Females. All patients were admitted to the hospital and after careful general and local examination, plain x-Ray stress films were done to the affected knee joint. Pre-operative preparation followed by open repair of the injured medial ligament. Plaster of Paris was applied after operation above knee in flexion 30 degree for one and half months. This was followed by full programme of physiotherapy till we get the full range of knee flexion extension movements with good stability in the medial and lateral directions in the stress films of the plain x-Rays at the end of the period of the follow up. [22] cases healed without any complications and return to their usual work after a period from [2] to [5] months, [2] cases were complaining of pain and limitation of knee flexion movement from 30 degree to 40 degree, one of these [2] cases was an obese lady with O.A. of the knee and aged [50] years and the other case was O.A. of the knee with genu varum deformity and aged [55] years

Meniscal injuries of the knee: clinical and arthroscopic study

104 patients diagnosed as or suspected to have a torn meniscus were subjected to arthroscopic examination before arthrotomy. The patients were classified into three groups. A:60 patients with obvious clinical diagnosis. B:34 patients, meniscal injury was suspected but clinical diagnosis inconclusive. C:10 patients with vague knee pain in which a torn meniscus could be contributory. In the whole series arthroscopic diagnosis was wrong in 8 out of 104 patients. [6 medial and 2 lateral meniscus] and on arthrotomy the meniscus was found free [diagnostic error was 7.7%]. Clinical diagnosis was wrong or inaccurate in 22 patients and in 10 patients diagnosis was not sure with minimal objective findings. In the 22 patients with wrong or inaccurate clinical diagnosis, the meniscus was found free in 16 [10 medial and 6 lateral]. In 6 other patients there was associated tear of the lateral meniscus [diagnostic error was 30.7%]